Rachel Wilson

An exploration into listening and designing infrastructures of socio-ecological care.

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The pace of existing Western systems continue to contribute to underlying socio-ecological crises, the ramifications of which are felt globally. Whilst there is arguably need to reduce this pace and consider multigenerational implications, there is tension in how the notion of slowness is balanced with the urgency of planetary crises. Therefore, this project asks: How might sustainable design move towards a Slow ontology that seeks to balance calls for both slowness and urgency within socio-ecological concerns?

This question is explored through a number of outputs, including an accepted conference proposal, sound collage, published Deep Listening text score and postcard. Primarily intended for researchers through emphasis on theoretical inquiry for design research, public dissemination of complex ideas has been tentatively explored to recognise the importance of providing accessible insights. Predominantly drawing on the notion of Slow ontology, ontological design, sound studies and sustainability discourses, this work consults a variety of fields undertaking a transdisciplinary approach in its reflections on the value of listening and slowness for designing infrastructures of care. The Slow Research Lab, New Constellations and The Long Time Project are among key comparators.

Whilst this work is situated primarily within the global North where it recognises that the detrimental systems it considers are most prevalent, care has been taken to include voices outside of this region, though in acknowledgement that marginalised voices remained underrepresented particularly within in academia. Through the provocations offered, this project seeks to contribute to discussions in sustainable design research by exploring the value of listening and Slow ontology in the context of design for socio-ecological care.